(gentle piano music)

A century ago, there were a million of them roaming around.

Today, less than 100 are left in the wild,

and are considered one of the most endangered birds

in North America.

They are native to the coastal areas of Texas and Louisiana.

Attwater's prairie chickens are small,

averaging about a foot-and-a-half in a size,

and weighing two pounds.

They prefer short and tall grass in their habitats,

and have a diverse diet, including grass shoots,

flowers, seeds and insects.

Urbanization and other forms of habitat loss

have been one of the major factors

in the steep decline of their population.

The Houston Zoo runs one of the captive breeding programs

to help reintroduce these critically endangered birds

to the wild.

This is the Attwater's prairie chicken.